Speaker
Description
Professor Claudio Santi from University of Perugia, Italy.
This four-lecture series explores the principles and applications of bio-inspired and biomimetic catalysis, with a particular focus on selenium-based catalytic systems and modern biocatalytic strategies. Lecture 1 introduces the fundamental concepts of catalytic processes involving selenium, highlighting its unique redox behavior, mechanistic versatility, and relevance to natural selenoenzymes. Lecture 2 examines synthetic applications inspired by biological systems, showcasing how selenium catalysts can mimic enzymatic function to drive selective oxidations, reductions, and group-transfer reactions. Lecture 3 extends these concepts to the valorization of biomass, discussing selenium-mediated oxidative transformations of lignocellulosic substrates and their potential for sustainable chemical production. Lecture 4 focuses on the integration of biocatalysis with continuous-flow technologies, outlining how flow systems enhance selectivity, efficiency, and catalyst stability in both enzymatic and biomimetic processes. Together, the lectures provide a comprehensive overview of how nature-derived design principles can guide the development of innovative, sustainable catalytic methodologies.